1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electronic device having device-specific information stored in an internal memory, and to a method for managing device-specific information.
2. Description of Related Art
A manufacturer of electronic devices creates an internal management database by use of identification numbers (for example, serial numbers) that are assigned uniquely to electronic devices respectively. Such an internal management database can identify dates of manufacture and specifications from identification numbers, and is used to cope with inquiries from users.
Conventionally, a user can only know the identification number of an electronic device by looking at the label bearing the identification number which is affixed on the body of the electronic device, or by looking at the warranty card or the like bearing the identification number which comes with the electronic device. A label bearing an identification number is typically affixed to a side or rear face of an electronic device, and this makes it difficult for a user to know an identification number by means of a label bearing it. A warranty card or the like bearing an identification number may be lost, or may be stored away a user do not remember where, and this makes it as difficult for a user to know an identification number by means of a warranty card or the like bearing it.
There has been proposed a television receiver that overcomes those problems. This television receiver has a storage means for storing a serial number and, when it is in a service mode for maintenance, the television reads the serial number from the storage means and displays it on the screen of a CRT (cathode ray tube). With this television receiver, since the serial number is displayed on the CRT screen, it is easy for a user to know the serial number.
The above television receiver can be generalized to realize electronic devices that have a memory for storing an identification number and that display the serial number stored in the memory on the display screen of a display as necessary.
A manufacturer of such electronic devices—those that have a memory for storing an identification number and that display the serial number stored in the memory on the display screen of a display as necessary—needs to verify whether or not the identification numbers written in the memories of the electronic devices are correct. This verification is performed by checking the identification numbers written in the memories of electronic devices against an internal management database.
Inconveniently, however, in the checking of the identification numbers written in the memories of electronic devices against an internal management database, if the checking relies on a checking person visually checking the identification numbers displayed on the display screen of displays, errors ascribable to human mistakes (failure to verify identification numbers resulting from a checking person reading them incorrectly) may occur.